


The Shine of Snapshots

by JasnNCarly



Category: All My Children, General Hospital, One Life to Live
Genre: Multi, Multiple vignettes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-21
Updated: 2010-12-21
Packaged: 2020-05-13 23:03:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19260943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JasnNCarly/pseuds/JasnNCarly
Summary: Multiple vignettes based on One Republic's "Secrets".





	The Shine of Snapshots

**Author's Note:**

> Characters in order of appearance:  
> Kendall Hart & JR Chandler (AMC)  
> Madison & Frankie (AMC)  
> The Ford Family (OLTL)  
> Joey & Kelly (OLTL)  
> Matthew & Destiny (OLTL)  
> Team Crazy - Johnny/Lisa (GH)  
> Jason & Carly (GH)  
> Dante & Brook Lynn (GH)  
> Ali/Michael (GH)

_{I need another story  
Something to get off my chest   
My life gets kinda boring   
Need something that I can confess   
'Til all my sleeves are stained red   
  
From all the truth that I've said   
Come by it honestly I swear   
Thought you saw wink, no   
I've been on the brink, so}_  
  
She had to get away from the party, her brave front nearly crushed by the smiles surrounding her. Too many people were too happy as her world came to a halt.   
  
“Kendall?”  
  
When seeing his gentle smile, she reminded herself he had been crossed off her list of enemies some time ago. She did not hate nor rely on him; she was completely indifferent to him. That was a welcome change from the immense hate or discomfort many other individuals brought her since Zach’s death.   
  
“JR, you sure you want to be seen out here with the widow basket case? Don’t you have enough problems with your battling brunettes inside?”  
  
“Well, you know, my attraction to brunettes tends to bite me the ass.” His joke allowed them to share a soft laugh as he moved to a stand beside her, “Is it just me or did this year suck?”  
  
Kendall nodded slowly, happy to be in the presence of someone who did not feel sorry for her, “I’m definitely ready for this year to be over.”  
  
“Well then,” Handing her a full champagne flute, he raised his glass to her, “to our adversaries getting exactly what they deserve in the New Year.”  
  
She smiled with a thoughtful sigh, toasting his glass, “May they  _ **all**_  pay.”  
  
 _{Tell me what you want to hear  
Something that were like those years   
Sick of all the insincere   
So I'm gonna give all my secrets away   
  
This time, don't need another perfect line   
Don't care if critics never jump in line   
I'm gonna give all my secrets away}_  
  
“Frankie, you shouldn’t worry about me or my problems.”  
  
“Kind of hard when I know you’re scared and alone.”  
  
 _How does he always know?_  Madison adjusted uncomfortably, crossing her arms as she set her eyes outside of the window, “I have money from Kendall’s very generous nanny salary, and I’m figuring the rest out. Whether Ryan knows about it or not, it’s not going to stop me from having this baby.”  
  
“Does Kendall know?”  
  
“I think she has an idea, but she’s never pressured me to say a word. Unlike some little bossy bitches, Kendall’s been nothing but supportive. If anyone understands what it’s like to despise the sight of Greenlee and Ryan, it’s her.” A crooked grin appeared on her lips, “She feels like a real friend.”  
  
Frankie’s big brown eyes alluded to a deep concern, his eager overprotective nature.  
  
Madison dismissed it, “I’m gonna be okay, and you should be celebrating with your wife.”  
  
“My wife would’ve busted the door down herself had she believed you would listen.”  
  
“But not you, huh?”  
  
“I’m not gonna let you get rid of me so easily.” Placing his hands on her biceps, he quietly promised, “This new year will be better to you, Madison. You and your baby.”  
  
Madison couldn’t fight the tears, hormones and stress got the best of her, as she wrapped her arms around him and cried into his shoulder.

 _{My God, amazing how we got this far  
It's like we're chasing all those stars   
Who's driving shiny big black cars   
And every day I see the news   
All the problems that we could solve   
  
And when a situation rises   
Just write it into an album   
Singing straight, too cold   
I don't really like my flow, no, so}_  
  
Inez had fully expected to be alone or attacked on New Year’s Eve. Everyone thought of her exactly as Eddie had; to them, she was trash and worth only the harshest judgment.  
  
Now, her tiny apartment was full with family and friends – all who insisted she could not spend the New Year alone. While many people would hate to be fussing over food and drink, Inez was so excited she found it hard to contain herself – immediately whipping up everything she could for her guests.  
  
“Mom, you should just be having fun, okay? I brought a bunch of food for us already.”  
  
She turned to face her youngest son, who consistently worried over her, and smiled, “It’s not home cooking, and I refuse to let your brothers eat anymore fast food.”  
  
“You underestimate the power of a greasy meal.” James entered the room, chuckling, “The whole point of us coming here was so that you wouldn’t sit or stand in some room alone to think.”  
  
“Your boys are determined to make you celebrate the New Year, Inez.” Ford’s abrupt statement caused Nate and James to smile his way, “It’s about time we all get use to the fact that we’re stronger in the New Year. Now, that Eddie’s gone,” The name stirred a somber understanding amongst them as Ford rose his soda can to the air, “nothing can come between us.”  
  
 _{Tell me what you want to hear  
Something that were like those years   
Sick of all the insincere   
So I'm gonna give all my secrets away   
  
This time, don't need another perfect line   
Don't care if critics never jump in line   
I'm gonna give all my secrets away}_  
  
“I love you. Still. You don’t have to understand, and…you don’t have to love me back.”   
  
Kelly’s words came out like crud from a blender without a lid. It was rushed, amongst tears, and nowhere near as romantic as she had imagined it. The moment was supposed to stand still, they were to be alone, and he was supposed to immediately proclaim he loved her too.  
  
Instead, while the party went on inside the ballroom, they stood in the foyer.   
  
Joey’s eyes were wide as they stared at her, almost as though she had just grown a second head. Not one word left his open mouth so he snapped it shut.  
  
“That spark, that piece of myself that was alive and vibrant, it was with you. Only with you, and I’m—feeling really lost. I tried to track you down then I saw you were ready to marry a woman.”  
  
“I’m still ready to marry her!”  
  
His comment caught her off guard. While it had been completely justified, he sounded aggravated that she had proclaimed her feelings because it caused problems for him. Problems it shouldn’t cause for a man ready to marry someone he was so desperately in love with.  
  
“I know that. But I couldn’t—I would not let you walk down the aisle without knowing that…it’s still there. For me, it never went way.”  
  
Joey wanted to dismiss her, say she was a fool, but his eyes betrayed his common sense. His look told her the feeling may have been mutual, and he was confused – desperately torn between the past standing in front of him and the future he had planned only feet away.  
  
 _{Oh, got no reason, got not shame  
Got no family I can blame   
Just don't let me disappear   
I'ma tell you everything}_  
  
They had decided to escape everyone’s judgment and apology; they chose to be in the company of the only person who understood them – a best friend. Parked in a spot overlooking Llanview, they sat in his car with the radio on low and nothing but truth between them.  
  
“Is Darren gonna be pissed you’re ignoring him on New Year’s Eve?”  
  
Destiny shrugged her shoulders, pulling her phone out and shutting it off completely. When she tucked it away again, she leaned back in the passenger seat, “I can’t deal with him tonight. I get that he’s trying to help, but he doesn’t understand. No one does.”  
  
Covering her hand with his, he inadvertently brushed his fingertips along her thigh, “Except me.”  
  
She tilted her head towards him, smiling weakly, “Except you.”  
  
Every time his world began to collapse around him; she had been there. No matter what he had done, she stood strong and refused to give up on him. Matthew never needed her more than he did now.   
  
While she stared at him so innocent and accepting, he could feel something different stirring in his gut and wanted to ignore it.  
  
After he shut her down months ago for a fickle romance, she had found something real with Darren. It made him envious, reminding him of something he briefly thought he possessed, and he refused to be the reason she lost her significant somebody.  
  
He retracted his hand and returned his hold to steering wheel, “I should get you home.”  
  
Destiny’s hand stopped him from turning the key, “Can’t we stay a little longer?”  
  
Matthew glanced over, losing himself to the plea of her ebony gaze, “…yeah, sure.”  
  
To his surprise, as they settled back into the silence, her hand found his again.   
  
Smiling at their laced fingers, Matthew allowed only one last thought to leave his lips, “We’re gonna have a great New Year, Des.”

 _{So tell me what you want to hear  
Something that were like those years   
Sick of all the insincere   
So I'm gonna give all my secrets away}_  
  
While she seemed to be interested in nothing he had to stay, Johnny maintained an optimistic smile, “You really didn’t have to stop by, you know?”  
  
“Right, like my evening wouldn’t have been interrupted by my noisy little obligation.” Lisa rolled her eyes, checking the wound with a deep sigh, “This isn’t healing the way I want it to. Are you sure you’re not drinking more than you’re telling me?”  
  
“Helps with the pain.”  
  
“Helps slow down the process too.” Her hands went on cleaning and dressing the wound under his watchful eye, “You shouldn’t go anywhere tonight. I’m not sure you’re ready.”  
  
“I can’t be a prisoner in my home one more night. I’m going crazy enough as it is.” Johnny groaned as she pressed a little harder than necessary, “Unless you got a reason for me to stay home, maybe like sexy doctor ready to forget a married man.”  
  
Lisa shook her head, removing her gloves with a soft laugh, “You never give up, do you?”  
  
“Kinda feel it’s part of my appeal.”  
  
“Well, just so you know, the whole blackmail thing kind of cancels out your seduction tactics.”  
  
“Would it really be that bad to spend one night with me, Dr. Niles?”   
  
Gathering her materials, she leaned in and watched the heat spark in his dark gaze, “Not a chance.”  
  
 _{This time, don't need another perfect line  
Don't care if critics never jump in line   
I'm gonna give all my secrets away}_  
  
Carly’s blue eyes were stunned by his sudden appearance, “I thought you’d be at the Metro Court gathering with Sam.”  
  
Ignoring her sharp tone, Jason took a seat beside her on the sofa, “I thought I’d check on you.”  
  
She moved away from him immediately, too stung by the past few weeks to welcome him.  
  
Jax had left to clear his head about Jerry’s death and his consistent need to protect Brenda; Brenda was still with Sonny; everyone still fought to protect her and failed to listen as Carly spoke truth.  
  
Now, she felt the urge to hide inward. If they wanted a silent Carly, that’s exactly what they’d get.  
  
“You shouldn’t be alone right now.”  
  
“What would you know about me? I’m surprised you can see anything past the pink in your penthouse.”  
  
Jason remained as he always had, strong and silent. Anticipating the outburst, he would wait out her attack then figure out a way to make things better.  
  
She loved and hated him for this. Whenever she thought she gained some distance, he appeared and made her cling to what little was left.  
  
Helpless to the urge, Carly made her way back to him and resumed her seat, “Why are you here, Jase?”  
  
Jason shrugged his shoulders, stating a fact, “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”  
  
“…I’m not.”  
  
“And I’m here.”   
  
Carly let out a sad smile, falling against him and shutting her eyes as he embraced her with the familiar warmth she recognized as home.  
  
 _{So tell me what you want to hear  
Something that were like those years   
Sick of all the insincere   
So I'm gonna give all my secrets away}_  
  
“Helpless and hopeless look fugly on your features, Dante.”  
  
Her words could not be truer to him as his eyes bounced between Brenda and Lulu through the night; while a party was happening around him, Dante was the pathetic guy at the bar.  
  
He turned towards her, immediately struck by her sophisticated appearance, and let out a heavy sigh, “You can’t be looking much happier on the arm of Nikolas Cassadine.”  
  
“Are you kidding me? I’m all kinds of happy.” Brook lost her smile after a moment, hanging her head, “You and Lulu are really over, huh?”  
  
Dante leaned against the bar, shrugging his shoulders, “No clue.”  
  
“Carly is relentless.” Bumping his ribs with her elbow, she playfully wiggled her eyebrows, “Makes you wish you had taken me up on my offer, huh?”  
  
“Carly never stops, but I’m liar so…”  
  
“Port Charles has a way of playing people, Dante. It’s happened to the best of us.” Brook glanced over her shoulder, a smile emerging on her lips as she extended her hand, “I got a way to get Lulu or Brenda or whoever looking your way.”  
  
“What’s that?” Dante took her hand by the end of his question, allowing her to lead him to the dance floor, “I don’t know if…”  
  
Her eyes sparkled with mischief as they moved in the crowd, and Dante danced with her out of instinct, wondering how many eyes were rested upon them. After a moment, hearing her laugh and seeing her smile, he felt included in the world. Brook was one person that no one in the town could take from him, and he was thankful to have one treasure left – an individual he could count on in the New Year.

 _{This time, don't need another perfect line  
Don't care if critics never jump in line   
I'm gonna give all my secrets away   
All my secrets away, all my secrets away}_  
  
“This is really stupid, Krissy.”  
  
Ali was lost in a panic, questioning everything about the move she was about to make. Any minute now, she would be in a room with him. Ali would have to look and act perfect; finally make a memorable impression upon him. All of this encouraged by her friend who had not one decent mark on her romance record.  
  
“Ali, this is it. If you can’t get Michael to notice you tonight, it’s a done deal. So just…” Kristina signaled with the raise of her hands, “Breathe in,” then lowered them as they breathed in unison, “and out.”  
  
“But he’s not interested in me.”  
  
“Of course, he is. He just doesn’t know it.”  
  
“No, when I asked him to the party, you should’ve seen the look on his face. It was like that scene in Old Yeller when that kid was about to shoot the dog.” Ali groaned with the stomp of her heel, burying her face in her hands, “I can’t do this. I can’t face Michael Corinthos rejection yet again.”  
  
“Just…” Kristina took a hold of her wrists, pulling her hands away from her face, and dragged her into the party, “handle it.”  
  
Ali was desperately seeking confidence within herself as they stepped into the Metro Court celebration, a crowd of faces she had only heard or read about. Immediately excusing her actions, Kristina slipped away to let Ali mingle, but it only meant she could bug Ethan.  
  
None of this was what she wanted as she tried to keep her shoulders straight as Kristina had instructed. But it was all hitting her at once: her dress was all wrong; her shoes probably didn’t match; and who knows what had happened to her hairdo by now. The best option was to leave.  
  
“Ali?”  
  
Of course. She turned around to find her massive crush staring at her with a pleasant look of surprise, “Hi, Michael.”  
  
“Hey, you and Kristina come together?”  
  
“Yeah, yeah, she’s just gone for a sec.” Ali wanted to say a million different things at once as he nodded, saying nothing more. Rather than make small talk, she decided to take advantage of a rare opportunity, “Did you wanna dance?”  
  
“Um...that’s not really my thing. Thanks.”   
  
 _Rejection._  Hanging her head with a knowing smile, she felt the sudden presence of a third party and found a beautiful blond taking a stand beside him.  
  
She seemed sweet, sickenly sweet, as she greeted her, “Hi, I’m Abby.”  
  
“I’m Ali, are you his date?”   
  
She had no qualms about asking the question as Michael nodded with a proud grin. It hit her heart with painful impact, Kristina had been right – now or never.  
  
Ali forced a smile, extending her hand, “It’s nice to meet you.” Then she took another glance at the dance floor, gathering all her courage, “Abby, do you mind if I steal your date for just one dance? I’m feeling a little lost here.”  
  
Abby glanced at her then Michael, who seemed to silently protest. Grinning at him, she stepped aside and offered Ali a tip, “Do it quickly before he runs.”  
  
Reluctantly, Michael stepped away from Abby and followed Ali to the dance floor.   
  
While he spent most of the dance setting his sights on Abby, Ali was entirely focused on him.   
  
Her one wish, one goal, had been accomplished in its simplest form. She had found herself in Michael’s arms on New Year’s Eve.  
  
 _ **The End**_


End file.
